Machine for turning and pressing collars



May 15, 1951 R. w. HOVELL MACHINE FOR TURNING AND PRESSING COLLARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1949 INVENTOR REYNOLDS W. HOVELL ATTORNEY May 15, 1951 R. w. HOVELL MACHINE FOR TURNING AND PRESSING COLLARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil ed Feb. 8, 1949 F'lCiZ.

INVENTOR REYNOLDS W. HOVELL Y E N m n A May 15, 1951 R. w. HOVELL 2,553,194

MACHINE FOR TURNING PRESSING COLLARS Filed Feb. 8, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR REYNOLDS W. HOVELL ATTORNEY May 15, 1951 R. w. HOVELL 2,553,194

cams .FOR TURNING AND PRESSI'NG' DOLLARS Filed Feb. 8, 1949 4 Sheet$-$heet 4 SOLENOID OPERATED "'I TIMER RELAY IFIGJO.

INVENTOR REYyDS W. HOVELL ATTORNEY Patented May '15, 1951 FOR TURNI NGAND PRESSING COLLARS Reynolds W. Hovell, Tupelo, Miss .assignc'r to Blue Bell, Inc.,"'Green'sboro, N. 0,, a corporation of Nflr'th Carolina Applicatinn February 8, 19.49, SeriallNo. 55,207

-5 Claims.

.1 This invention is an improvement upon a conventional and well known type of automatic machine which is'used in the garment manufacturing trade fortur'ning collars and cuffs in-sid'e-out from the state in which they are initially stitched and then shaping and pressing them. It will be illustrated and described primarily for the treatment or collars although its further and analogous uses are well known and will 'be evident.

The general type of .machine to which this invention constitutes an improvement is shown in Patent No. 1,902,330 of March '21, 1933,, to Morris 'L.Kap1a'n. In its commercial .form, this machine has three pedals which the operator uses in succession, the first one to bring .poirits to .gether to enable the operator to turn ;the collar (.or other article) and to .pull it over the .die or shaping member, the second one to insert the-die member with the collar .on itinto the .p'resser head from which 'the .die mem'beris automatically retracted, leaving the collarin the presser head, and the ithird one to close the presser head .and applyiheatand pressure .toithe collar. 7

His "the operation of this third pedal which most exacting upon the operator. I The degree of pressure is, -as a rule, determined by .the .force exerted upon the pedal, and duration-of. pressure is determined wholly by the length of time that the operator holds the pedal down. This imposes a strain upon the operator which is tiring, and also necessitates considerable skill to determine the amount of pressure and duration oflti'me for the operation.

An object of this'inventio'n is 'to'make'the'oper- 'a'tion heretofore performed by this "third "pedal wholly automatic and thereby relieve the operator "activated fora predetermined period'by the return movement of the die member from placing the collar in the presser head and then'is-automatically disabled or inactivated at theexpira- 'tion of the predetermined period.

The specific assemblyof mechanism whichhas proved satisfactory 'for the purpose and ifrom present experience represents the lp'referredeembodiment of the .invention,.is illustrated in the "accompanying drawings, in which Fig. .-1 is a perspective of a machine embodying the invention, showing the machine principally in iront elevation.

"Rig. 2 is'a perspective of the same with parts broken away, showing the machine as viewed tromthe-rear.

:Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation generally'on the planes-of. line 3*.3 of Fig. .1.

Fig. 4 .an-enlarged detail insectionaliplan on .line 454 of :Fig. -2.

Big. 5 is an enlarged "sectional detail on line -5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a :section on line6--6-of.-Fig. :1, show ing the movable .points advanced position.

Fig. '7 is a similar view of a fragment ref the parts in Fig. 6, showing the movable points retracted.

Fig. .8 .is a section similar to Fig. \6 but-showing the vdie 1 member I advanced .into :the presser head.

Fig. I9 issimilar view of thejpresser headportion showing the collar in the presser head and -..under pressure.

-Eig. 1 0 is-a diagram of the automatic system whichssunplants the usual third pedal.

For .an understanding .of the purpose of the vmachine, reference is made to the prior patents to J. Beattie, Nos. 1,195,704 and ..1,89.6,9B.4, in which .the;-per.ti-nent practice regarding the manufacture vvof =,collars is-explai-ned. Sufiice it to say that collars are commonly made by .stitching to- ;gether three illiBS OfiZibliQ-flllt according to g pattern, along the .curved bottom edge and along 'eachend leaving thetop-edge whichis eventually sewed to the garment open. The collar is then turned .in-side-out through the open edge, which makes -a launching of material in the ;points. :Commonly thin flat angle shaped plates, called .dies, are inserted into the collars with the angle apices in the points to arrange the bunched -ma- .terial :and shape the-collar points, and the-collar .-.points are-.then.pressed.

To turn the collar, it is the usual practice to .place one .of the points of the collaras it is initially stitchedover-aepin on the machine, called .a point, .and ito bring .another cooperative gpoint, which .slidable .and disposed immediately aunderneath the .die, up (to thefir-st point, and strip the .collar off thafirstpoint and-turn it-back over thesecondgpoint andathe die. The second :point .is then-retracted, Xleaving the reversed collar :on .the die. The-die is :then {moved :into the presser heacl .and the collar is left there @as ithe die he treats, the collar point-which isithus shapedheing sthenpressed.

As will be seen from the drawings, the machine has an inclined table top I, being highest at the rear, which is supported upon a frame consisting of four legs,.namely two front legs 2 and 3 and two rear legs 4 and 5, with appropriate cross braces. On the upper part of the table is a presser head 6 which is of standard construction and need not be described in detail. It includes electrical resistance coils for heating when the plugs 7 are inserted into their sockets, and amovable presse member consisting of the plate 8 which rises to open the presser head and lowers to apply pressure. bracket on the top part of the head, there being in practice a special pivoting arrangement so that the movement of the presser member is approximately in a line normal to the head.

The head is shown as duplex, being generally V-shape, so that two collars may be received and pressed at the same time, each presser form being shaped to receive a collar point and a substantial portion of the collar body,v the two forms together making substantially an M-shape presser recess. A spring 9 biases the presser member 8, which is of corresponding V-shape, to elevated or open position, and a piston rod Ill is connected to the presser member to operate it in opposition to its bias in a manner to be described. Between the diverging legs of the presser head and just below the level of the bottom of the head, are two parallel forwardly pointing pins II, each of which constitutes one of a pair'of cooperative points on which the collars are turned, as will be described. These points I I are fixed, being supported by and attached to the table through uprights bolted to the table as shown.

Farther down the table in front of and facing the presser head are two slidable members, one a pair of pins I2 constituting the points cooperative with the points II, and the other a duplex die member E3, the outline of which is substantially M-shape to fit into the presser cavity of the presser member.

The die member rides up and down the table on a traveling carriage. As shown, the die member is attached on top ofa pair of standards I4 that extend through slots Ma in the table, each standard being integral with the chassis of a roller truck I5 the wheels of which trucks run on tracks l6 underneath the table. A coilspring I1 is attached at one end to a lug on the bottom of the left'hand truck I5 and at the other end to the machine frame and biases the sliding die member to its retracted position away'from the presser head. A cable IB is attached to the same lug on the bottom of the'left hand truck I5 and runs up therefromunderneath the table over a pulley I9 and is attached atits other end to an arm which is pedal operated, as will be described.

The points I2 are also slidable up and down the table to cause them to approach and recede from the respective coacting points I I. For this purpose they slide in guide openings in uprights 2I on the table and are connected by a T-member 22, the upright leg of which extends through a slot 22a in the table. A retractile spring 23 is attached to the bottom end of this upright leg and to the frame of the machine and biases the points IE to retracted position. In the opposite direction a cable 24, attached to the leg,- runs over a pulley 25 on the underside of the table and is connected at its other end to an arm 26 which is also pedal operated.

It is evident from Fig. 3 that a movement of It is shown as pivoted upon a 4 the top ends of arms 20 and 26 to the right or toward the front of the machine will pull the die member and the lower points up the table against their spring bias. Such movement is eifected by pedals 2? and 28, respectively. A bearing shaft 29 extends across the lower part of the machine and is non-rotatably secured at its ends in frame members. Rotatable on this shaft are two colla'rs 38 and Si, and the arm 20 and pedal 21 are secured to collar 30, while the arm 26 and pedal 28 are secured to collar 3|. It is evident, therefore, that as the operator depresses pedal 28 the points IE will be advanced and that as he depresses pedal 27 the die member will be moved up into the presser head, while releasing the pedals will allow the retractile springs to operate.

In the use of the machine, the operator places a collar as initially stitched upon each of the points H with the pins well into the corners or points at one end of the collars. He then depresses pedal 28 and thus brings points I2 up to points II. This condition is illustrated in Fig. 6. Then the operator strips the collars, one by one, oiT the points II on to the points I2 and the respective points of die I3, the collars being reversed in the'process. The two positions of the collars are indicated by broken lines in Fig. 6. The operator then releases pedal 28 and permits the spring 23 to retract points I2 and leave the collars on the die it, as indicated in Fig. '7.

Next the operator depresses pedal TI and advances the die member into the presser head, as is shown in Fig. 8. The collar points are well wedged into the corners of the presser recesses and are held there by the presser member, as is later described. The operator thereupon releases the pedal 21 and allows the spring I! to retract the die member, which is the condition shown in Fig. 9.

'So far, the explanation refers to machine construction and operation which is commercial and well known. It is in respect to the rest of the operation on the collars, namely, the pressing, as above stated, that this invention particularly relates.

In place of a third pedal, an automatic power mechanism is provided; the operation of which is initiated as a result of the release of pedal 27 and simultaneously with the withdrawal of the die member, to lower the presser member 3 to the position snown in Fig. 9 and start the pressing of the collars in the presser head. This is timed to occur slightly after withdrawal of the die member so that the presser member preferably grips the collars and holds them against displacement as the die member is withdrawn.

The power mechanism consists of an air cylinder 32 and piston 33 (Fig. 10), with the piston rod If! connected to operate the presser member 8, as above explained. An air hose 2 leads to the bottom of the cylinder behind the piston from a valve 35 which in one position connects the cylinder wi h a source of compressed and in its other position vents the cylinder to atmosphere, which is the position shown in Fig. 10.

A solenoid 37 is arranged in control of valve 35. The operating arm 38 of the valve is constrained by means, such as a spring 39, to the venting position of the valve, and the armature 40 of the solenoid is connected to arm 38 to move the valve against its bias when the solenoid is energized and so admit the fluid pressure into cylinder 32 and close, the presser head. The

valve 35 and the solenoid 31 are supported in close relation upon a triangular supporting plate 41 on the back of the machine underneath the table and occupying the upper right hand corner as viewed from the front.

symmetrically opposed to place 4| in the upper left hand corner is a corresponding triangular supporting plate 52 on which is an automatic electrical timer relay .3. This relay is connected to a source of electric current and also by leads 44 to the solenoid 37. This relay is of the type known as time delay relays and its nature is such that when the start circuit is closed the load circuit, in this case the solenoid 31, becomes energized and remains energized during the length of the time delay. The length of this delay is settable and at the end of the set time the relay automatically deenergizes the solenoid. A suitable timer relay for the purpose is one sold by General Control Company under the name of Promatic Timer and made under Patent No. 2,296,580 of September 22, 1942, to Gilbert Smiley.

In control of the start circuit of the timer relay is a micro-switch 45 supported on a bracket 46 attached to a rear frame member. Leads t? connect the micro-switch to the relay.

The micro-switch is supported on its bracket approximate the arm 28 and with its operating arm 58 on the side toward the arm 2e. On a bracket 48 (see Fig. 4) on the face of the arm 29 toward switch 45 is pivoted a projecting trip finger 50 which is urged by spring 5| against a stop 52. The location of the bracket and trip finger is such that the roller on the arm 48 of the switch is in the path of the trip finger on the oscillatory movement of the arm 29 in both directions. However, in the forward movement of the arm 28 produced by pedal 2? and indicated by arrow A in Fig. 4, the finger 56 upon striking the roller merely yields against the force of the spring 5! to a position indicated by dotted lines and so passes the switch idly without closing it. The finger springs back against its stop and on the return movement of arm 20 in the direction of arrow B, the finger 5B strikes the roller and closes the switch. The momentary or instantaneous closing of the switch operates the timer relay to close the solenoid circuit and hold it closed during the time set. This operates the air piston to close the presser head and hold it closed while the solenoid is energized. When the cycle is over the presser head rises under the influence of spring 9 and the operator turns the collars end for end and places the other ends on the leading points of the dies, steps on pedal 21 and repeats the operation for that end of the collars. When the presser member again rises the operator takes the collars from the presser head and deposits them in the bin 53 on the right side of the machine.

Thus it will be seen that the pressing operation is entirely automatically controlled, being initiated, timed and concluded by mechanism that is independent of the operator. It is obvious that the precise form of the mechanism employed is optional and that the invention may be variously otherwise embodied within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for shaping and pressing collars and like articles comprising, in combination with a presser head including a movable presser memher and a slidable die member adapted to receive and shape an article and to deposit the article in the presser head, means biasing the die member from the presser head, manually controlled 6 means for sliding the die member against its bias toward the presser head including a pivotally oscillatable arm, a timer relay, 3, switch in control of the relay, switch operating means on the oscillatable arm arranged to operate the switch only on the return movement of the arm under the influence of the biasing means, means biasing the presser member to open position, and power means under the control of the timer relay connected to move the presser head against its bias.

2. A machine for shaping and pressing collars and like articles comprising, in combination with a presser head including a movable presser member and a slidable die member adapted to re!- ceive and shape an article and to deposit the article in the presser head, a pedal, a pivotally oscillatable arm operatively connected to the pedal, means biasing the die member from the presser head, connecting means between the' oscillatable arm and the die member and operative to slide the die member against its bias and to return the arm under the influence of the biasing means, means biasing the movable presser member to non-pressing position, power means operative to move the movable presser member against its bias to pressing position, a control device for the power means, a timer relay in control of the control device, a switch mechanism for the timer relay disposed in proximate relation to the oscillatable arm, and tripping means on the arm operative to pass the switch idly when the arm is moved by the pedal and to operate the switch when the arm is moved by the die member biasing means.

3. A machine for shaping and pressing collars and like articles comprising, in combination with a presser head including a movable presser member and a slidable die member adapted to receive and shape an article and to deposit the article in the presser head, a pedal, a pivotally oscillatable arm operatively connected to the pedal, means biasing the die member from the presser head, connecting means between the oscillatable arm and the die member and operative to slide the die member against its bias and to return the arm under the influence of the bias ing means, means biasing the movable presser member to non-pressing position, a cylinder, a piston slidable in the cylinder and operatively connected to the presser member to move it against its bias, a source of compressed air, a conduit communicating with the cylinder behind the piston, a rotary valve in the conduit operative in one position to connect the cylinder with the source of compressed air and in another position to vent the cylinder to the atmosphere, means biasing the valve to the latter vposition, a solenoid connected when energized to move the valve to its air admitting position, a source of electric current, a timer relay operative when energized to connect the solenoid with the source of current for a limited time and then to interrupt the connection, a micro-switch in control of the timer relay, and a tripper for the micro-switch on the oscillatable arm operative to close the switch as the arm is moved by the die member biasing means.

4. A machine for shaping and pressing collars and like articles comprising a presser head including a movable presser member, a reciprocatory die member movable into and out of the path of movement of the presser member and adapted to deposit an article in the presser head, means biasing the die member to its retracted position, means biasing the presser member to open position, power means operative to move the presser to closed position, pedal operated means connected to the die member and operative to move the die member against its bias, and means operated by the return movement of the pedal operated means for energizing the power means.

5. A machine for shaping and pressing collars and like articles comprising a presser. head including a. movable presser member, a reciprocatory die member movable into and out of the pathof movement of the presser member and adapted to deposit an article in the presser head, means biasing the die member to itsretracted position, means biasing the presser member to open position, power. means operative to move the presser to closed position, pedal operated means connected to the die member and opere ative to move the die member against its bias,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,226,143 Self Dec. 24, 1940 2,258,954 Jensen Oct. 14, 1941 2,292,846 Pritchard Aug. 11, 1942 2,341,689 Bryson Feb. 15, 1944 2,387,292 Preston Oct. 23, 1945 2,419,645 Hurxthal Apr. 29, 1947 

